FlexShares has reported a 55% growth in ETF assets during 2016, significantly above the 20% rate of growth recorded across the entire US ETF industry, according to Morningstar figures. Shundrawn Thomas, Head of FlexShares ETFs at Northern Trust, notes demand for ETFs are being driven by three key trends: regulatory change, keen interest from institutional investors and the increasing use of ETFs within multi-asset class strategies.

Northern Trust Asset Management has launched a unique sustainable real estate index tracking the performance of developed market real estate investment trusts (REITs) with strong responsible investment characteristics. According to GRESB, property ESG analyst and co-creator of the index, the global property sector is at the heart of the most important and far-reaching issues of our time, including urbanization, demographic change, resource constraints, environmental impacts and emerging technologies.